CR
Crop Talk
The Newsletter of Great Country Farms
August 31, 2015: CSA Week 14

18780 Foggy Bottom Road
Bluemont, VA 20135
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A Word from the Farmer:
Fall Squash

   When hard squashes start showing up in the market and in CSA boxes, you know the season is about to change. We planted seven different kinds of fall squash this year, so you'll have a chance to try varieties that may be new to you. The season starts with butternut squash, that meaty orange workhorse. The classic way to cook butternut squash is to cut them in half, scoop out the seeds, and bake them, but if you peel off the thick rind -- which takes some doing -- you can cube them or slice them and then steam them -- or roast them with pork chops and apples!

   If you'd like to learn more about fall squashes versus summer squashes, take a look at this guide from Oh My Veggies
 

CSA Week 14 ~ September 1 - 6
Shares this week include: 

 

          

  • butternut squash
  • egg plant
  • tomatoes
  • cherry tomatoes
  • lettuce
  • zucchini
  • plums
  • nectarines
  • peaches
  • apples
 









Our Concord Grapes have come in strong! We'll be picking them this week, and we'll make them available as a bonus in the market -- help yourself to a bag after you finish picking your share of apples. They're great for juice and jam, so consider buying a few extra pounds to take home.

Please protect your share from the heat. Fifteen minutes on a sunny front porch will ruin fragile items like peaches and lettuce. If you won't be home when your delivery arrives, please consider providing a cooler with icepacks to keep your food fresh until you return. Be sure the inner dimensions of your cooler will accommodate a box that measures 19 x 10 x 9 inches.
 
Remember that there's no CSA pick-up or delivery on Mondays. 

Great Country Fidos!


Marnie Montgomery, certified Tellington T-Touch practitioner and owner of The Joyful Dog, a canine education and wellness center in Leesburg, invites you to bring your dog to the farm this fall. She'll be offering three opportunities for you and your dog to play and work together at the farm: Puppies on the Farm, Fun and Focus, and Great Country Games. These are multi-session courses scheduled for Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Sundays in September or October.

Marnie first came to the world of dog training and T-Touch while searching for ways to help her own dog relax and control his impulses. The combination of bodywork and movement, which are foundational to T-Touch, and the clarity inherent in clicker training and other rewarding techniques, helped him become a delightful companion.

For more information about Marnie, or to register for one of these special sessions, visit The Joyful Dog online.
Please Drive Slowly

   This is an appeal to slow down when you drive through the tiny village of Bluemont. Last week a Bluemont resident sent an email to several local businesses, informing us that two children were almost hit by a truck in front of the Bluemont General Store the other day. Apparently the incident prompted a police response.    
 
   "We want Bluemont to grow and prosper," the resident wrote. "We love the life that new businesses can bring to our sleepy little town, but most of all we want to feel safe, and we want our kids to be safe."
 
   To that end, please stay at or below the 25 mile-per-hour speed limit when you drive through the village.

   Thanks.
In This Crop Talk:
Featured Recipes
   A rich, nutty variation on the Italian classic, from Real Simple.
 

Roasted Squash and Eggplant With Crispy Cabbage and Soba Noodles


This dish is equally delicious warm or at room temperature. If serving at room temperature, all the components can be made up to 1 day in advance.
 
 

   "Eggplant parmesan is one of those great Italian comfort foods--a layered casserole much like lasagna but with slices of globe eggplant taking the place of pasta.
   The two things to keep in mind when cooking eggplant, especially firm globe eggplants, is that not only do eggplants hold onto moisture, they also absorb oil like a sponge. So if you're not careful you can end up with something mushy and oily."

Read More here.

Week 14 CSA 

UPICK Bonus:

September 1 - 6 

 

6 apples ~

$4.47 

   

Year to date Upick Bonus Value:

$156.34

 

2015 Bonus Ticker

What is this?  Each week we offer a bonus u-pick item for members visiting the farm and this ticker  tracks the dollar value of the bonuses.  Many members find that month picking adds a nice extra value to their CSA share. 


This Week in the Farm Market

 

Apples

Plums

Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes

Potatoes

Cantaloupe

Watermelon

Garlic

Onions

Nectarines 

Okra

Squash

Join the Farmhand Team this Fall Harvest Season!
We are looking for a few good farmhands to help out for school tours and weekends this September and October.  We have opportunities Tuesday-Friday 9am-2pm for School Tour Guides working with school field trips, and openings for Market Associates and Roosteraunt Concession Associates on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays.